African Moroccan Line is Backed by Moroccan Banking

More details are emerging regarding the seemingly imminent arrival of African Moroccan Line in maritime traffic between France, Spain, and Morocco. Moroccan banks have partnered with the Greek group Attica Group to launch two Moroccan licenses to operate on the Tangier Med-Algeciras line, although the intention is to serve seven maritime routes related to Morocco, according to yabiladi.com.

Morocco seeks a more balanced distribution of shipping services in the regular traffic of its country. After the collapse of Comarit-IMTC, only Inter Shipping operates on the Moroccan side in the Strait area, while the rest are Spanish shipping companies (Trasmediterránea, Balearia, Naviera Armas, and FRS Iberia) and the Italian GNV, which operates from southern France, thus avoiding road transport through the Peninsula.

To respond to a project of this magnitude, African Moroccan Line requires significant investment, and this is where Moroccan banks come into play, having partnered with the Greek group Attica. Recently, some Greek representatives have been inspecting the ports of Tangier Med and Nador, as well as recruiting staff for the offices and commercial network that will support the launch of the new company.

However, it seems there is still an unresolved hurdle, according to yabiladi.com. African Moroccan Line may have already started its operations, but it has been postponed as the Moroccan Merchant Marine Directorate only grants them a temporary license, which the investors do not agree with, and they are awaiting the return of the minister from a trip to China, where he accompanies the Alaouite king, to unblock the situation.

As Vicente Costa already mentioned in his blog ferrybalear.com and we in this same section, the ships intended for the launch of African Moroccan Line will be the ferries “Diágoras” and “El Venizelos.” The first is a vessel operated by Blue Star Ferries with a capacity for 1,465 passengers and 400 cars, and the second is one of the largest barcarrons of its kind operating in the Mediterranean, currently serving Anek Lines, with a capacity for 3,000 passengers and 750 cars. A lot of supply for what is currently moving in the Strait. It remains to be seen how this venture will start in terms of fares and the commercial war that is sure to follow.

Photo: Don Fraser (shipspotting.com)